Device for closing pedal-openings in pianos, pianofortes, &amp;c.



N9. 740,853. PATENTED OCT. 6, 1903.

E. HILGER. DEVICE FOR CLOSING PEDAL OPENINGS IN PIANOS, PIANOFORTES, 6w.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 21, 1903.

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UNITED STATES Patented October 6, 1903.

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DEVICE FOR CLOSING PEDAL-OPENINGS IN PIANOS, PIANOFORTES, &c.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 740,853, dated October6, 1903.

Application filed May 2], 1903. Serial No. 158,215. (No model.)

T0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDUARD HILGER, pianoforte manufacturer, a subject ofthe King of Prussia, residing at 10 Oorneliusstrasse, AiX- la-Ohapelle,in the Kingdom of Prussia, Empire of Germany, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Devices for Closing Pedal-Openings in Pianos,Pianofortes, &c.; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

My present invention relates to a device for automatically closing thepedal-openings in the front wall of a piano, piauoforte, and similarmusical instruments necessary for the working of the pedals, so as toeffectually prevent mice, insects, and dust from getting into theinterior of this class of musical instruments. To this end a plate isslidingly arranged within a casing and hinged to a crossbar which underthe influence of helical springs or other means is following the upwardmovements of the pedal, and to make this device even in such caseseffective when the lifting means have become defective the cross-bar isconnected with the pedal by means of a folded band of flexible materialserving nnder'normal conditions as a bufier between the cross-bar andpedal; but when said springs or other means are broken or removed, andthus the cross-bar cannot follow the upward movements of the pedal, saidband of leather or the like will act as a substitute cover for thepedal-opening until the lifting means can be renewed or repaired.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical sectional viewtaken on line A B of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the device withthe casing partly removed. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view similarto the one shown in' Fig. 1, showing the pedal in its lowest position.Fig. 4% is a similar view showing the pedal in its highest position, thesprings broken, and the flexible band acting as substitute cover.

In order to prevent mice, insects, and dust from gettinginto theinterior of pianos,pianofortes, and similar musical instruments during atime of disuse, it is necessary to provide means which willautomatically follow the pedal when moving upward, and thus cover theopening beneath the pedal when the latter is at rest. To effectuallyattain this end in view, the pedal a, projecting through the opening I)of the front wall 0 of a piano, pianoforte, and similar'musicalinstruments,is surrounded by a casing d, closed at the top and the sidesand open at the bottom and, besides this, provided with a front opening6 to let the pedal a pass through. Flush with the lower and of saidcasing 61 is secured to the front wall a a base f, provided with twoguide-pins g, upon which is movbly arranged the cross-bar h. Thiscross-bar is connected to the pedal a by means of the folded band ofleather or of any other suitable material 2' and compelled to follow theupward movements of the pedal under the influence of the helical springs10, surrounding said pins g, which springs may, if desired, be replacedby weights running over rollers or by other suitable means. To the frontof the cross-bar his hinged the plate Z in such a manner that the frontside of this plate is slidingly bearing against the inside of the casingd and in addition to this is held to it by the spring m, secured to thebase f, tomost effectually exclude the dust. By loosely hinging theplate Z to the crossbar It binding and undue wear and tear are avoided.

Within the opening 19 of the front wall 0 are placed the felt pads n and0, of which the former extends into the casing d to enlarge the area ofcontact for the pedal a when returned to its upper position by themechanical means usually employed for this purpose. The pad 0 isnarrower than the pad n; but both pads serve to prevent noise when thepedal is reaching either of its extreme positions.

Under normal conditions the helical springs k will move the cross-bar hupward when the pedal a is ascending and go down with the cross-bar andpedal when the latter is pressed down, whereby the folded band ofleather or of any other suitable material is acting as a buder betweenthe cross-bar h and the pedal a, thus preventing any noise, (see Fig.3;) but in case the springs 76 or any other means employed should gotbroken or become inoperative said flexible band i will act as a meansfor closing the opening 6, folding itself up when the pedal is presseddown and unfolding itself when the pedal is ascending, as shown in Fig.4:. Under these conditions the plate Z will be held in place against thecasing d and project from the latter through the slotp, arranged betweenthe basefand lower end of the casing 02.

Various changes in the details of construction may of course be madewithout departing from the essential features of my invention,

and I therefore desire not to limit-myself to the precise constructionand arrangement of parts shown herein.

I claim- 1. A device for closing pedal-openings in pianos, pianofortes,&c., com prisingastationary casing surrounding the pedal; a cross-barvertically movable within said casing; means for guiding said cross-bar;a plate attached to said cross-bar; means for compelling the cross-barand said plate to follow the upward movements of the pedal, and flexiblemeans connecting said cross-bar with the pedal.

2. A device for closing pedal-openings in pianos, pianofortes, (to.comprisinga base secured to the front wall of the musical instrument;vertically-arranged pins upon said base; across-barslidinglyarrangedupon said pins; a plate hinged to said cross-bar; springs surroundingsaid pins and capable of raising the cross-bar and the plate hinged tothe latter to follow the upward motions of the pedal; a flexible bandconnecting the cross-bar with the pedal folded up to form a buiferbetween cross-bar and pedal when said springs are opsical instrument;guide-pins arranged upon said base; a cross-bar slidingly arranged uponsaid guide-pins; a plate movably connected with said cross-bar andguided by said base to normally close the opening under the pedal;springs guided by said guide-pins to compel said cross-bar and the plateconnected therewith to follow the upward movements of the pedal; aflexible band connecting said crossbar with said pedal to act undernormal conditions as a butter between said cross-bar and pedal and as asubstitute cover when the means for raising said cross-bar and the plateconnected therewith have become inoperative; and aspring to keep theplate attached to said cross-bar in sliding contact with the front wallof the stationary casing.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed myname in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDUARD HILGER.

Witnesses:

HEINRICH ABEL, J OHANN Pi'rrz.

